What will dominate the headlines in Maine now that 2011 is over and 2012 is beginning to unfold? Count on reading plenty about the latest developments in the administration of Gov. Paul LePage. There will undoubtedly be ongoing controversy regarding the proposed national park in the Maine woods. Ditto the …

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Anonymous

Watch the incumbants get beat! That’s what I’m looking forward to.

Jeff

Esp if lepage and those in office destroy the Mainecare program. Vote out all those that vote to destroy it.

Yeah. Lets vote out anyone who wants to fix this broken system. Let’s keep things just as they are because things are going so well. Right? In Washington we have no hope and no change. In Maine we want to keep things just as they are.

Anonymous

Very good point Harry. Lets all just sit around and complain, protest and whine,,, then somebody will really notice how upset we are, right?

The answer is folks…pick up your phone and call or e-mail or write a snail mail to your representatives and inform them of any complaints/support that you earnestly have and will assist in solving any of the vast amount of issues that are coming to the forefront.

Jeff

How about we cut programs that pay for movies with Mainecare, summer camps, and things like that that are paid for with mainecare funds!!??

Killah from Calais

It seems these “special” people made this list; I personally would not take my eyes on the rest of the 1.5 million Mainers…..we all have something to offer…

Anonymous

Yes, I think the 99% are the people to watch. This movement of people from all over the world are now starting to stand up against injustice. The debt owed to the owners of the wealth can no longer be tolerated. The wars on the poor in the guise of the military industrial complex and the prison industrial complex must stop. We young and old will no longer tolerate so called drone wars that keep people living in fear on the other side of the world while our young are force to enlist to pay off family debt. We will no longer accept the poor being homeless while the middle class is losing the investments that they have put into the housing market. Children will no longer be sold into economic slavery while their grandparents 401’s and social security is drawn up into a wall street scam that continues to keep the wealth flowing to the 1%

Anonymous

Do you realize that you sound as though your opinion comes from someone else?????? So, within RATIONAL constraints. What would you like to see happen? Or is RATIONAL a reach for you?

From your post along with most on here you’ve got plenty of complaints but no solutions beyond, “Ugh, Them bad”

One more time, RATIONAL ideas, what should be done?

Anonymous

No more breaks to banks that squander money through giving bonuses to CEO’s while making foreclosures on the many. I would demand this government money be use to keep people in neighborhoods. This same government money would be used to support education. Grant programs to have teaches and medical professional pay down house loans and student loans all this to help rebuild neighborhoods. Instead of waging a war on the poor let them occupy the housing that is now falling into disrepair. The disrepair is also due to the foreclosure of loans that were ill gotten in a predatory banking system. Stop the war. Heed the warning President Eisenhower and be ware of the military industrial complex. Investigate no bid contracts of Blackwater, and other military suppliers. Investigate the military dealings of Cheney and other politicians that have made huge stock profits from a decade of war. Stop the unmanned war that we as a country are now perpetrating in the middle east. I know this is all rhetoric. You want rational. Please tell us about all the great rational that you have been following. The people of the occupy movement are very fed up with your rational. You will be hearing a lot more idea’s that you will probably not like. This is how change happens. What you call rational constraints is what I call the prison industrial complex. The beginning of resolving this issue is stop making criminals out of people that have a emotional disorder that leads to drugs. Stop taking funding away from mental institutions and then leaving the mentally ill to fend for themselves. Look at where LePage money is coming from. You will see that it is from contributors that want to build privatized prisons.
These are just a few idea. What should be done is a lot more people could stop listening to the rhetoric that keeps these 1% in control. We need to get organized. We need to get to the caucuses and let the leadership know that things can not continue this way. The leadership has been catering to big money for far too long. You do not even want to admit that there is a war on the poor. There is and you will now see that the 99% are preparing to fight back

Unfortunately, your point about, “Instead of waging a war on the poor let them occupy the housing that is now falling into disrepair.”, sounds good but isn’t sensible. It’s actually just emotional.
Studies show that low income people that are living in structures that they themselves don’t have any time or money invested , typically fall into greater disrepair. It’s called the.. “I don’t give a ?*#!, I ain’t got a nickle in it.”…attitude.

Guest

Notably missing from the list, the Speaker of the Maine House. A man that should be watched VERY closely, since he’s already stolen $1.6-million from the taxpayers.

Anonymous

Nutting should be watched as he’s perp-walked.

Anonymous

Nutting Honey

Anonymous

Anyone that spends $270,000 per unit for a 38 unit apartment project (Dale McCormick, of Maine State Housing Authority) should be watched also.

Anonymous

Agree

Anonymous

Second that

Anonymous

Roxanne Quimby has not “reinvented” anything.

She is selling the same old environmental terrorist garbage introduced by Restore some ten-fifteen years ago that will decimate the logging industry, and continue the depopulation the UTs and surrounding communities

Northern Maine wasn’t in a buying mood then, or now.

Anonymous

Its her land, I would try to work with her than against her. Think about it.

Anonymous

If we had half a govoner the tree growth tax break would become no more and these do gooders would start paying for what they trying to control. $100 dollars per running foot for any water frontage in any unorganized territory would be a good place to start. Up and down little wilson stream in Elliostville would be a good starting point. I wonder how long before it would become tax acquired by the town.

Anonymous

I have thought about it.

It’s not her land that we are worried about.

Briney

Her stinging remarks – a la Le Page – dimmed her chances up north. Gating “her woods” was a preview of things to come.

It could have been a great idea. But you don’t sell anyone by kicking them in the teeth.

Anonymous

hekicks people in the teeth or what ever, the rude man as he is, so why should she sugar coat what she says to him, he understands about being rude as thats just what he is, rude a big bully

The governor should get a teleprompter so he can be smooth as silk like B. Hussein O. Then someone else could write every politically calculated and correct thing that comes out of his mouth just like B. H. O. No more original thoughts. Thats the ticket. He would soon be known as the “smartest man in the room!”

Briney

I believe you have my comment mixed up. I was referring to the rude comments about Mainers made by Roxanne Quimby. I’m In full agreement with the response The County legislator gave Le Page. Quimby’s quotes sounded much akin to the Le Page rants.

Anonymous

Actually the logging industry is being decimated by a reduction in the demand for paper, and the purchasing of cheap garbage from Wal-Mart. If you find yourself advocating against protecting the environment, you need to get a clue.

Anonymous

Actually you are mistaken….again.

The wood products industry is on an upswing due to the high quality of our fiber resources in the state.

If the BDN did some investigative journalism, this would be as well known in the general population as it is in the wood industry.

Anonymous

You are delusional if you think that paper consumption is ever going to come back. I notice that you made reference to ‘wood products’, which means Pellets (which will soon be replaced by natural gas), pulp – which can be produced in China for far less expense, and unemployment, which is the wood industries primary contribution at this point.

Anonymous

Wrong again, oh great, all knowing flatlandah.

Where do you think the pulp is going that is being produced in Woodland?

China.

The wood products industry is dependant on a good source of sustainably produced fiber whether it be for furniture stock, toothpicks, clothespins, building materials, or……yes, paper.

I hadn’t considered wood pellets as they are manufactured from the waste stream from wood products manufacturing, but, yes, even wood pellets.

The Maine I live in is far too rural to support the infrastructure required for natgas.

You would know that if you could take the time to look around instead of listening to everything the enviroterrorist organizations tell you.

They are the ones that want to stop all this “nasty tree farming”.

Anonymous

If she wants to be really useful, invest in a rehabilitation camp for children dealing with cancer or other serious diseases. Then others who truly need assistance will benefit from the goodness of her heart and wealth. But, I guess that doesn’t fill the cash bag at the end of the day. Sad to have so much money and not be able to spend it all in ones lifetime.

Anonymous

According to the Maine Pulp and Paper Assn. Maine is producing more paper than ever before. “Paper production has consistantly increased since 1990”, they say.

You should stop running Maine down in order to suit your political agenda.

Anonymous

HUH?

Anonymous

Watch Speaker of he Maine House of Representatives Robert Nutting.

Will he return the $1.2 million he admits to overcharging the State’s medicaid program?

He could, single handed, make a sizable dent in the Paul (I wish I knew how to budget) LePage medicaid fund shortfall this year.

Anonymous

My three 2011 predictions:

I predicted that once federal EPA investigators began snooping into Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Brown’s company’s books he’d resign.

BINGO

I predicted that Commissioner of Economic Development Congdon would resign once he discovered that his job was not the hobby he thought it to be.

BINGO (Well, technically he was fired)

I predicted that the elderly and infirm Commissioner of Finance Sawin Millett would become ill and be forced to resign.

WRONG, I’m happy to say.

Anonymous

Glad you were wrong on Sawin, too. He is a good man.

Anonymous

Is RQ a Mainer?

Anonymous

She’s trying to be.

Never happen, though, no matter how many dollars she spends at LL Bean.

beithe

Nope. And I don’t think Maine is accepting applications from her anymore either. LOL!

Anonymous

The primary person to watch on the list is LePage. Wonder how he feels to know that he is the worst gov. to ever represent Maine.
I am sure the laughs will continue everytime he opens his trap. I can’t wait until the next one. The BDN and other news papers must love it when he spews out the bully remarks.
Its sad that Maine has the reputation of having the dumb down gov of the year. Who in heck would ever want to establish a business in Maine with the leadership this clown is showing?
I actually believe he thinks he is smart and his tactics are worthy. Can’t you republicans calm him down and convince him he is hurting the party? Good god folks, it is so apparent to the general population of Maine, the republican party will pay a severe price at the polls for years to come. So, someone step up to the plate and tell him to smarten up..
I believe the things he is attempting needs the attention but there is a professional manner and a not-so-professional manner. Its too bad he and you, who support him can’t understand that he has chosen the Not-So-professional manner.

oldgrump

“Wonder how he feels to know that he is the worst gov. to ever represent Maine.”

That comment works on the presumption that Gov. LePage believes that “he is the worst gov. to ever represent Maine”. From performance history, Gov. LePage does not believe anything he has done, while in office, is wrong. Therefore, I seriously doubt he would believe he is “the worst gov. to ever represent Maine”.

Anonymous

Jan. 1 20012 and no snow what a beautiful day to take a ride up to Little Wilson Falls in Elliotsville. Whoops we can’t anymore some mean lady who will never visit it bought the whole area and fenced it off to keep old people like me out.

Bangor Daily couldn’t resist by having another article with Paul LePage on it and this time as someone to watch…sorry “journalists” Mr LePage belongs on the list of people to laugh at for 2012

Briney

It’s easy to laugh at him, but much harder when you consider how he’s pushing to curtail medical care for 68,000 Mainers.

Most of his fuming during Year One has been disgusting. True, many see him in different roles: Maggot in the Dirty Dozen, and Scrooge in Dickens’s classic Christmas Carol, are but two references to his spiteful and hateful attitude.

The tea party clan relish his harsh stance against ordinary people trying to keep their heads above water as we pull out of a recession. He shows no respect and is devoid of feeling for fellow human beings.

Tea partiers toss Baldacci’s name freely claiming he was “worse” than Le Page. That’s when I laugh, long and hard. Anyone would have a tough time to remotely connect the bad first year of Le Page with any of the governors who have served this state over the past 60 years.

He’s also on call to play “Scrooge” once he finishes rehearsing, three years from now.

Anonymous

Scrooge, I bet you rather have “Fidel” Baldacci aka “Forrest Gump” back in office or Mr. Maine Watch Angus King back in office. So can they can to on raising our taxes, increasing spending, borrowing to oblivion , letting the moochers come in and do what they want. You must like those freebies that Liberals were giving out. Their favorite sayings were “Maine is on the move”, ” Don’t let Maine move Backwards, move it Fowards”. Yeah they moved it fowards alright everyone went to the poor house, while the freeloaders, their special interest buddies and them filled their pockets laughing all the way to the bank.

Briney

I’d settle for anyone – King, Baldacci, Curtis, Reid, McKernan, Longley etc. At least they respected the people of Maine. Your man does not. He has done more with his mouth to relegate this state the rear than any governor I can remember in more than 60 years. They governed. This man is a dictator.

Three years left, minus two days.

Anonymous

Let’s give Maine Wellness association a shot and ax Dirigo. Dirigo was a loss from day one costing tax payers more money then it ever benefited. I saw the numbers run a couple of years ago. The cost to the state to insure a person per a year was incredible. Dirigo must go. That is the perfect place to start chopping Lepage.

Anonymous

First of all QUIMBY IS NOT A MAINER! So there goes your list. Second of all and it pains me as a Republican to say this… but when LePage finds out what some of the people he’s been appeasing are truly up to, and how many federal laws they broke in the last week or so… it might just bring him to his knees!

Anonymous

Neither are you a Mainer.

Briney

Welcome to Maine
The Way Life Used To Be
Before Le Page Moved In

Jeff

Very True!!!

Anonymous

Roxanne Quimby is one to look at and hope she does not succeed–she does not want the best for Maine and her people; just as Rush Limbaugh stated early on that he did not want Obama to succeed in his socialistic agenda.

Anonymous

Finally someone comes right out and says Coach Tim Whitehead should go down the road

Anonymous

I certainly want our governor to succeed in guiding Maine into a better future.
He was left with a cumbersome responsibility by the previous administration which sought to spread the wealth of Maine’s taxpayers, thus giving our state the title of “welfare state.”

Anonymous

I too wish our governor success in attempting to turn this state around. I almost believe it is too late already. I cannot understand what Libs believe…….the State IS OUT OF MONEY. Where do they suggest we find it? The rampant abuse of the welfare system has finally caught up to us….We, the tax payers knew this day would come as the dippers (the ones abusing the system and making it a way of life due to their baseless sense of entitlement). They somehow, how stupidly believed that the collection plate would keep getting refilled for them. I would vote favorably for a hotline to report these suspected cases of abuse and reports confirmed to be true would be offered a reward. The providers of the “clue” about the welfare abuse could then chose to keep the reward or offer it up as an incentive to increase the “ante”, encourage yet more people to report the abuses that they witness. Okay, I’m ready for the onslaught of hate mails to come so bring it on. Please also include the relative info: Whether you are a contributing member of society or a leech who could work but knows here in Maine it has been historically equally gratifying not too.

One way for the state to save money is to re-write the laws and regulations pertaining to whom may or may not qualify for welfare benefits. Those who are truly needy need not worry. They will continue to receive benefits. Everyone else who is not eligible had better start looking for work to pay the rent.

The state too needs to adopt the Wisconsin model that reviews most its recipients for eligibility on a regular basis and provides options other than welfare.

Anonymous

LaPage should find another mural to take down ,people would go nuts.

Anonymous

No, just the ultra left liberals go nuts. It seems they act and think the sky is falling unless they get their way.

Jeff

We need to get LePage out of office before there is no more Maine to live in.

Anonymous

Sorry, you can only do that legally. Occupy Wall Street tactics are not permitted. And please, all posters, stop the name calling and useless bashing and baiting. There’s no place for that in the public forum. And besides, it’s counterproductive. It’s all about respect. If you don’t respect others, don’t expect others to respect you.

Anonymous

It’s MARTIN County, Flori-duh, not Martin’s. There is no possessive-case county in America. Damn few towns with the name “The” in them, such as The Dalles, Oregon.

Also, if I were a buck, I would not want to be stretched. Nice word play.

The National Park System is one of the crown jewels of America and a source pride to the nation and wonder to a rapidly shrinking world. The mean spirited selfishness and illogical frenzy its proposed extension invokes from an economically and intellectually destitute subculture of accomplished haters and denigraters of so much that is best about this land is a source of continuing wonder and amazement. They are doing terrible damage to themselves and their best traditions that will endure to a far distant posterity. This has reached a point where far more is riding on this controversy than the ravings of stoney hearted nutters.

JG

You can tell Larry Mahoney didn’t get the chance to review this article. Finally the BDN just comes out and says that UMaine hockey is mediocre under Whitehead.

BDN staff writers need to learn the difference between a report and an opinion. The following forecast is an opinion:

“There will undoubtedly be ongoing controversy regarding the proposed
national park in the Maine woods. Ditto the Occupy protests and budget
and health care woes. But there also will be stories that surprise and
delight us involving the arts and sports”.

I wonder how many of their writers have a degree in journalism.

Anonymous

2012 The Year of the Penguin!

Guest

2012, the year the Hag of the Northern Woods failed to create a national park